Shaft-coupling.



P'ATENII'ED ov. 10, 1903.

e.- L. ESTES.

SHAFT COUPLING. APPLIUAT IGN FILED H0". 13, 1902.

R0 MODEL.

' UNITED STATES Patented November 10, 1903.

PATENT Gr mes.-

SHAFT-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 743,628, dated November10, 1903.

Application filed November 13, 1902 Serial No. 131,162; (No model.)

of New York, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements inShaft-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and

to the reference-numerals marked thereon.

My present invention has for its object to provide an improvedshaft-coupling by means of which adjoining ends of two sections of ashaft may be coupled together in perfect alinement and securely joinedto prevent a twisting or turning of one section independently of theother, and my invention has for its further object to provide africtional coupling in which the separate parts of the inner 2o sleeveor bushing may be secured together and yet permitted a movementrelatively to each other to facilitate the application of the sleeve tothe shaft.

-To these and other ends the invention conz 5 sists in certainimprovements in construction and combinations of parts, all as will behereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed outin the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of ashaft-coupling constructed in accordance with my invention Fig. 2 is anend view thereof. Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3 3 ofFig. 1. Fig.

5 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing a modified form of coupling.Fig. 5 is a'cross-sec tional View taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4:.

Similar reference-numerals in the several *figures indicate similarparts.

0 In the drawings I have shown the adjacent ends of two sections of ashaft and the coupling by means of which they are secured together,embodying generally a sleeve 1, surrounding the ends of shaft-sections 2and 2' 5 and provided with conical surfaces tapering from the centertoward each end. In prac tice this sleeve is formed into a plurality ofparts by means of longitudinally-extending slots or channels, (indicatedby 3,) so that the various sections of the sleeve may be compressedtightly into contact with the surfaces of the shafts, as will bepresently described.

At the central portion of the sleeve is formed an annular rib 4, adaptedto overlap the proximate ends of the shaft-sections for the purpose ofthe bolts 8, extending through suitable ap ertures in each of theclamping-plates 6, and the ends of the hubs 7, extending at oppositesides of the plates, form long engaging surfaces codperating with theends of the sleeve, causing them to grip the shafts tightly. Theclamping-plates are each provided with annular rims 10, making thecoupling in the form of a drum and permitting it to be used as a pulley,if desired. Also arranged in one of the plates 6 are apertures 11,through which a suitable instrument may be inserted into engagement withthe other clampingplate, so that it may be removed after the bolts 8have been disengaged.

The several sections of the sleeve or bushin g are supported in theirrelative positions by bands or arms 5, which extend between adjacentsections, and these bands or arms are usually formed integrally with thesleeve, and the latter is subdivided into a number of parts by the slotsor channels 3, which are provided after the various operations of boringand: turning the tapered ends on the sleeve. In the drawings I haveshown the sleeve formed into three sections, which are connected by twoof the arms or bands, and the latter being comparatively thin andelastic permit said sections to be Opened ontwardly slightly and also toyield at an angle to each other when being applied to a shaft,and,further, the elasticity in the arms serves to disengage the sectionswhen the clampingplates are removed, so that the sleeve or bushing maybe readily removed from the shaft. In order to locate the bolts 8 asclose to the shaft as possible, a depression (indicated by 12) isprovided between the ends of the arms through which they pass.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modified form of coupling, which is adaptedparticularly to be used upon large or extremely heavy shafting, the onlydeparture from the structure before described being in providing adouble arrangement of clamping-disks in which there arearrauged outerdisks 14, adapted to be drawn together by bolts15, and inner orintermediate disks 22, between which extend clamping-bolts 13. This formof coupling may employ a bushing the same as that be- .fore described;but as it is necessary to employ a double set of clamping-bolts and alsodesirable to arrange them close to the shaft the connecting-arms 50 ofthe bushing are arranged to form the apertures 51, through which one ofthe sets of clamping-bolts may pass. It will be seen that by drawing upthe inner and outer pairs of disks separately an increased compressionalefiect may be obtained upon the sleeve or bushing.

In the drawings I have illustrated the bushing as being composed ofthree parts; but it will be understood that it may be divided into anynumber of sections and that the arms or bands may extend continuouslyaround the bushing, or only a sufficient number of the arms may beemployed to secure the several sections in their relative positions, asshown.

The coupling which I have described and illustrated consists of fewparts, and by connecting the separate sections of the sleeve by means ofcurved arms, which I arrange concentric therewith, I am enabled toprovide a shaft-coupling that is very strong, and one in which theminimum amount of material may be used, thus reducing its Weight andmaking the coupling compact.

I claim as my invention 1. In a shaft-coupling, the combination with asleeve having the exterior tapering surfaces at the ends and composed ofa plurality of segments and a supporting-arm arranged exteriorly of saidsegments and yieldingly connecting them and arranged in proximitythereto, of clamping-plates located at opposite sides of the arm andextending beyond it and having apertures provided with conical surfacesadapted to engage the tapered ends of the sleeve and bolts extendingthrough the plates.

2. In a shaft-coupling, the combination with a sleeve having theexterior tapering surfaces at the ends and composed of a plurality ofsegments and yielding supportingarms connecting said segments at theirouter sides whereby they may be moved radially and also at an angle toeach other, of clamping-plates arranged at opposite sides of the armsand extending beyond them and provided with apertures having conicalsurfaces adapted to engage the tapered ends of the sleeve and boltsextending through the plates and exteriorly of the supporting-arms.

3. In a shaft-coupling, the combination with a sleeve having thetapering surfaces at the ends and composed of a plurality of segmentsand arms connecting them at their outer sides whereby they may yieldrelatively when they are moved to open the bushing, of clamping-plateshaving apertures provided with conical surfaces adapted to engage overthe ends of the sleeve, there being annular flanges on the platesextending over the arms and bolts securing the plates.

4. In a shaft coupling, the combination with a sleeve composed of aplurality of segments there being an annular rib on the sleeve andtapering surfaces on the latter arranged at each side of the rib, and anelastic arm connecting adjacent sections of the sleeve, ofclamping-plates on the ends of the latter and bolts extending betweenthem.

GEORGE L. ESTES.

l/Vitnesses:

G. WILLARD RICH, WALTER B. PAYNE.

